Hybrids
by T1gerCat
Summary: A series of murders brings two unique creatures together. They are the first of their kinds. Can two Originals be together and catch a killer?
1. The Awakening

Chapter 1: The awakening

The light danced, shattering off Edward's crystal hands. The sparkles were tinged with red, with the blood that covered his skin. And more red in his hands. Something small and struggling, dripping with blood. He touched the warm body to my weak arms, almost like I was holding her. Her wet skin was hot—as hot as Jacob's.

My eyes focused; suddenly everything was absolutely clear. Renesmee did not cry, but she breathed in quick, startled pants. Her eyes were open, her expression so shocked it was almost funny. The little, perfectly round head was covered in a thick layer of matted, bloody curls. Her irises were a familiar—but astonishing—chocolate brown. Under the blood, her skin looked

pale, a creamy ivory. All besides her cheeks, which flamed with color.

Her tiny face was so absolutely perfect that it stunned me. She was even more beautiful than her father. Unbelievable. Impossible.

"Renesmee," I whispered. "So… beautiful."

The impossible face suddenly smiled—a wide, deliberate smile. Behind the shell pink lips was a full complement of snowy milk teeth. She leaned her head down, against my chest, burrowing against the warmth. Her skin was warm and silky, but it didn't give the way mine did.

Then there was pain again. I gasped. And she was gone. My angel-faced baby was nowhere.

"I'm sorry"

a deep voice said somewhere but I couldn't move. The blackness rushed over my eyes like a thick blindfold, firm and fast. A fire I knew all two well from two years ago fire blazed inside me. It could have been seconds or days, weeks or years, but, eventually, time came to mean something again.

Three things happened together. Some one screamed, I smelled smoke and I got stronger. My heart stuttered twice, and then thudded quietly again just once more. There was no sound. No breathing. Not even mine.

For a moment, the absence of pain was all I could comprehend.

Then, suddenly, the small organ inside my chest started beating again. I opened my eyes and gazed above me in wonder.

Everything was so clear. Sharp. Defined.

The brilliant light overhead was still blinding-bright, and yet I could plainly see the glowing strands of the filaments inside the bulb. I could see each color of the rainbow in the white light, and, at the very edge of the spectrum, an eighth color I had no name for.

Behind the light, I could distinguish the individual grains in the dark wood ceiling above. In front of it, I could see the dust motes in the air, the sides the light touched, and the dark sides, distinct and separate. They spun like little planets,

moving around each other in a celestial dance.

The dust was so beautiful that I inhaled in shock; I could taste the room around me—taste the lovely dust motes, the mix of the stagnant air mingling with the flow of slightly cooler air from the open door. Taste something sweet, like pink cotton candy.

I stood up too fast. I should have been dizzy but I wasn't. I followed the smell downstairs. Its origin was in the family room on the ground floor. all around were broken furniture, sofa's were missing their pillows, Edward's beloved piano was in pieces with its keys littering the floor, even the door was broken like it had been kicked in.

There, in the middle of the room were eight distinct piles of aces. That's what I had smelled. Each pile had a piece of jewelry on it. With trembling hands i picked each jewel. Carlisle's and Esme's rings, Rosalie's large pendant, Alice's smaller one, Emmett's Jasper's and Edward's bracelets. The Cullen's crests.

the eighth and much smaller pile had a Polaroid picture on it. in it was a baby, extremely pale with matted red curls and deep chocolate brown eyes. Renesmee.

I screamed. If I had anything in me, I would puke. I clutched the crests and the picture in my arms and unthinking i walked outside the house. on the driveway was Edward's Volvo. I drove as fast as my new senses and grief would allow. Every time I would stop at a traffic light if there were people crossing the street hey would smile in an overly sad way and walk away.

I arrived home, at Charlie's, much sooner than I expected. i leave the car's door opened as i get out of the car and knock on the green door.

"daddy?"

is the first word that leaves my lips since my awakening. Charlie smiles at me and opens his arms wide in a clear invitation but I can't get inside the house. in invincible barricade stops me. Charlie nods and invites me in. the barricade is suddenly gone and i break down in sobs in my father's arms.

In my despair I never notice that my eyes aren't vibrant red or that my skin doesn't sparkle. or even that my heart is still beating, albeit a bit slower than it normally would


	2. Okay What the Hell just happened?

Chapter 2: Okay… What the Hell happened?

When my tears stopped and my cheeks dried I realized that I had fallen asleep my crying gig on Charlie's shoulder. For the second day in a row the sun shone brightly. I blinked and seeing the dried blood on me I headed upstairs to the shower, my moves sluggish and tired.

while shampooing my brain finally decided to start working again and one really big question hit me like a train. Well.. two really big questions.

One: why don't I sparkle? I mean I cried, I slept and, unless my eyes are playing a trick on me, my reflex ion on the foggy mirror above the sink had deep brown eyes. I raised my hand on my throat and found my pulse. I have a pulse!

Two: Shouldn't I be saddened by the deaths of the Cullens? Not to mention the death of my baby girl? I feel... empathy and shock but that's it! I felt more when my mother and brother died.

I wrapped a towel around me and sat on my bed thinking. Through my broken, hazy memories I could only make so much sense. I remember being on the medical bed in Carlisle's study and they went hunting. I remember the pain as my little nudger was taken out of me. I remember her being tiny and fragile. Then all I could feel was absolute fire. When I woke up I was so absorved in the piles of ashes that I had little time for anything else.

Including the burning sensation in the back of my throat. According to everything Edward had beaten into my head I should be famished, crazed and unable to do anything on my own because of the supernatural strength... I feel normal, sluggish, my throat doesn't burn and I have no supernatural strength. ok my thoat does feel a bit scratchy, like I'm coming down with a cold but that's all.

Noticing my reflexion at the mirror again i noticed my dirt brown simple hair was now a mixture of deep red, dark brown and fire red strands, it was longer than before reaching just above my ass in loose curls. My skin was still pale but not sparkly so. Can't say I wish it was...

"I look like an irish setter!"

I exclaimed and shaking the vain thoughts out of my head I got dressed in my casual jeans and a simple top and grabbed a pair of shoes only realizing they were heels when I didn't trip and fall on the stairs. Charlie was wide awake sipping coffee looking serious. feeling famished I took a slice of cold pizza and started munching still amazed I hadn't thrown it up.

"I'm so proud of you bells"

"proud? proud for what? getting married on my eighteenth birthday, getting pregnant on my honeymoon, almost dying during childbirth or becoming a vampire Dad?"

I shouted. If I expected Charlie to be angry or frightened or confused I'd be sorely mistaken. He surprised me by letting loose a full belly laugh.

"All those too but mostly on being alive, kid. One minute later and you'd be in a pile of ash yourself"

I blinked...

... and then blinked some more.

"How do you know about the ashes? Do you know what happened because I don't"

"yes, I do bells"

"are you gonna tell me?"

I growled

"Did Jacob tell you about the pack being split in two? one agreeing to protect you, your baby and the Cullens and the other hell bent on killing you all?"

I nodded my head wondering how the heck Charlie knows all that

"it was a ploy. The pack did break in two but it wasn't to help out anyone but themselves. Jake got in, convinced most of the Cullens to go hunting where Sam's pack caught them and as soon as you gave birth his pack dealt with the remaining Cullens"

"why am I still alive?"

"your heart had stopped. they believed you were dead"

"how do you know all that dad?"

he chuckled taking a sip of his coffee and looked me in the eyes

"because I'm not an idiot, Bells. Besides Billy told me"

he smiled. i exhaled and played with my bracelet a bit.

"what happens now? What do i tell people and why did Mrs. Newton waved sadly yesterday when i was driving here?"

"when Billy told me what the pack did, I filed a police report. Burglars got inside he house and killed everyone. You were hit and unconscious. Everyone believed it"

"everyone believed it..."

i repeated testing the not-exactly-a-lie lie in my mouth.

"I find a lawyer to finalize everything then?"

"actually you're not married. Legally. The marriage is null if its not confirmed within a month by the courthouse Bells, not to mention that the minister is long dead. Anyway all we need to do is bring everything to your name, already done. An old friend owed me a favor"

Charlie chuckled playing with his ring... i may have joined in for a few breaths.

"dad? why do I have a heartbeat?"

I asked in a quiet voice.

"I'm not sure Bells. I sure am happy as hell you have one but I don't know why"

I nodded mulling the thoughts. It was incredible, the space in my head was incredible, I felt like a brand new computer. After breakfast I got dizzy and would have fainted if dad hadn't grabbed me so Charlie loaded me into the car and straight to the Cullen house to check Carlisle's records. He found a big fat load of nothing and I decided to take some mementos. A few photos, the family crests, my favorite pair of sneakers that alike hadn't thrown out (yet) and last but not least a few large colorful manila folders jasper had kept with the family property, companies, buildings, bank accounts, even people across the globe. I heard Charlie's stomach growl loudly downstairs. I went downstairs holding two large card boxes and found him eating the cold Chinese from the fridge while talking to his cell phone

"are you sure sis?"

.

.

.

"I'll leave tonight then"

.

.

.

"no bella is coming with me, she's back"

.

.

.

"I need your opinion about something actually but I'll tell you in person"

.

.

.

"no, we'll drive there. might take longer but far better than flying, you know I hate that shit"

.

.

.

"yeah yeah love you too, bye Lizzie"

he hang up and turned to me

"Liz has a problem bells. I need to go back home. wanna join?"

"anything beats being here and get the sad look dad. when do we leave?"

"i told her tonight. enough time to change the locks here and home too"

"about that... I assume you know about the treaty, right? is it still valid? Technically I wasn't bitten"

"you weren't?"

"i was injected. Carlisle said I'd be"

"ok then... I call Billy"

I really didn't want to hear that conversation so I walked outside. at the back of the house was Esme's gardening stuff so I quickly took a small shovel and decided to bury the cullens. so in the ground went the eight coffee jars filled with the ashes. Can you even give a funeral to a vampire?

Then i walked up to the garage. all the Cullen cars were there and frankly I didn't feel up to driving any of those. I remember Carlisle had locked all the doors in the house and some shutters during the back window with an alarm somewhere in here two years ago,

"ahha!"

i exclaimed having found it and (ironically enough) the password was written on a post-it right behind the device (Gotta love Emmett) so I changed it and locked the house down.

Charlie was waiting for me on the vast white porch looking grim but with a wicked smirk on his lips

"what?"

"you're alive which means you're a Cullen, as far as the tribe is concerned, and that since your heart is beating the cullens didn't turn you. i told him that if he didn't want you pressing charges for homicide they'd better keep an eye on the place"

I burst laughing to that

"werewolves keeping an eye on the house belonging to the vampires! Epic Charlie!"

then we got in my truck which was annoyingly hidden in the garage and Charlie drove us out of town with one quick stop at the police station to note down that he'd take a leave of absence.

I stayed in my truck. The soft ache in the back of my throat was harder to ignore.


	3. Who died?

Chapter 3: Who died?

We drove slowly until we reached Spokane where the truck made a final groaning sound and died.

"Can we please buy a car now?"

I whined. Charlie rolled his eyes and nodded. We decided to actually ditch the vehicle after taking off the plates and walked to a nice, large, expensive looking car dealership.

Dad let his inner car enthusiast go nuts and ended up with a sleek two seater corvette ZR1 in a dark midnight blue color. He refused to even look at the price tag preferring to talk in gibberish, aka the engine, the power etc etc etc.

I chose something that looked less like K.I.T.T., was cuter and just as fast... I think. I chose a Porsce Boxter in a soft baby purple color. Unable to resist the salesman's beating heart I followed him in the dinky bathroom, my eyes never leaving the popping vain on his neck. Hearing my high heels the salesman turned to me and without thinking I pushed him back to the dirty yellow tiles and bitt down on his neck hard.

The man never had time to scream as I gulped the sweet nectar his blood was to me. When I was filled and the ache on my neck was long gone I pushed him away from me.

"oh my god"

I exclaimed and fell on my knees next to the dead salesman. his nametag on his shirt wrote bob.

"I'm sorry Bob, I really am"

I cleaned myself in the sink and threw my blood stained white shirt in the garbage and walked outside again feeling much better. However I was unable to meet Charlie's eyes as I signed the paperwork and got into my brand new car.

We drove till night fell, in our respective cars not talking. when the silence got to me I called Charlie.

"I'm sorry daddy"

"Did you kill him Bells?"

"yeah..."

I mattered a couple tears drying on my cheeks. A few hours later we pulled into a small town called Billing in Montana, had dinner and got a room. I glared at the young guy at the reception who turned the question

"double bed or two twins"

to a dirty thought. It was only when I woke up the next day that I realized I had fallen asleep in my clothes. I made a yuck sound when I had to put on the same dirty clothes and underwear after my shower and shook Charlie hard enough to wake him up.

"what? who? why?"

"Time to wake up. Bella. We need to hit the road and we need clothes"

I replied each question. Charlie nodded rubbing his eyes and shuffled to the bathroom. It took us more than hour to drive in a large mall and buy everything from clothes, to underwear, to toiletries and a stop at an electronics store. After lunch we returned to our cars and didn't stop driving till nightfall when we reached Omaha when we pulled over for gas, and dinner.

"hungry bells?"

dad asked before he ordered every single burger on the menu

"not just for food"

I muttered as my stomach gurgled and the ache in my throat became stronger. I was able to ignore it though once we got out of the diner. In the confines of my car it was easy to ignore it and in the company of Charlie? Well it wasn't as easy but the thought 'do not eat your father' mentally repeating in my head helped a lot.

Next day we were on the road again.

I had woken up early and decided to pass the time by going to get breakfast, a large order of eggs & bacon and a huge cup of coffee for Charlie, just the waitress and coffee for me.

"Bells do you think we can drive it all at once? it should be about fifteen hours"

"we can try"

I joked and we drove ahead. We were outside Lexington when a sily thought came to me and called dad

"does this remind you of top gear too?"

charlie burst laughing. I pushed the gas a bit more and drove to the lane next to his as he replied

"now that you mention it, it does"

He replied and hit the gas making us do a little drag race till the next town when a few police cars made us slow down. This way we arrived in virginia and stopped for dinner and gas in a quaint little town near mystic falls, Charlie's hometown in the Virginia Beach when we saw the Law Enforcement Museum.

Dad's eyes were big as saucers, I couldn't say no to that face, not to mention I couldn't feel my butt from driving so long. We walked inside.

As we followed the tired and bored cop that acted as a tour guide Charlie was running after him with the expression of the cat that just ate the canary. And dragged me along. At one point we were told that the cops in 1929 were riding Harley Davidson, in the idea of Charlie on a Harley sent me to a fit on giggles, at dad disapproving glare I giggled even harder and leaned to tell him I'd never seen him on one and his mouth started to twitch. The moment he was ready to start laughing I reminded him

"We are in a museum Charlie, shush".

"Now that is an intimidating cruiser"

When we saw the first car cruiser in 1949.

"You can walk faster than that dad"

I mocked and soon enough the tour was over. as we walked outside to the fresh crisp air Charlie's phone rang and his face turned sour. a few minutes later he hang up and turned to me.

"Liz's ex-husband just died bells. we need to hurry"

I nodded mutely and got in my car. Liz's ex-husband? He had left aunt Liz about ten years ago after coming clean on being gay and having a boyfriend. I didn't know they were together again.

Coming to think about it there is a lot I don't know about our extended family or mystic falls. Charlie never wanted to talk about it and mom had never been there.

Soon Charlie took a right turn and I followed. We drove past a rather large bridge and we reached the town.


	4. Welcome to the vampire family

Chapter 4: Welcome to the Vampire Family

We arrived in front of a well lit two story house as a modest dark van with the words 'medical examiner' printed on the side pulled away from the house.

Charlie parked and walked up to the house where a short haired blond woman threw herself in his arms. behind her a blond teenage girl sobbed in the arms of a brunette one with long hair. I wasn't sure what to do so I stayed leaning on my car.

Soon the woman pulled back from Charlie who motioned me close.

"Remember Bells Liz?"

"oh my god! you're so grown up now!"

Liz said hugging me as awkwardly as Charlie does

"Ten years tend to do that to someone Liz"

"Liz? What happened to auntie Liz?"

she asked in a somewhat stern voice

"'Aunt' is a term reserved for old ladies with a gazillion cats following them around. You're too young and sexy to be called 'auntie'"

"smartass"

she snorted at my joking tone and smile and wrapped an arm around me bringing me closer to the other girls where the blond one was choking the life out of Charlie. The brunette one on her side looked suspiciously at Charlie and myself and Liz bid her goodbye basically kicking her out.

"Lets take this inside"

Liz said after making sure brunette girl drove off. Charlie nodded and maneuvered the sobbing Caroline inside and right after entering the door he threw

"come in Bells"

over his shoulder. I was buzzing with questions but was a bit more interested in Caroline's mental state. When mom died the nice paramedic gave me enough pills to send me in lala land. we sat in the family room that had a nice lived in feeling and Liz served Charlie and herself a nice healthy dose of scotch. she asked if Caroline and i wanted something a soda and only then Caroline looked at me

"Belly boo?"

she whispered through her tears

"hey Care bear"

i whispered back and she flung herself around me.

"we're going upstairs"

I announced as soon as her tears began to dry. Liz nodded casually but Charlie's eyes were on me

"are you sure..."

he trailed but I knew what he left unsaid. 'You won't kill you cousin'. I nodded in response and let Caroline lead me to her bedroom

"you like?"

"its... girly"

I said smartly looking at the pink walls and the double bed with the pink and purple comforter trying to picture her in my own room in forks and failing miserably. On top of her dresser was an array of photos featuring her life. I sat with her at the bottom of her bed.

"You're really here..."

"yeah... I am. I missed you Caroline"

"I missed you Belly boo"

I winced at my childhood nickname. Belly boo, Belly because even though Caroline stuck me with Bella for some reason she liked Belly more and boo because of my accident ratio.

"Aren't we a tad old for those nicknames?"

"Nope"

She said smartly and we burst laughing.

"I love the hair"

she exclaimed a few moments later. I touched the red mane and I told her the truth

"spur of the moment"

we stayed quiet for a while. We haven't spoken since mom married phil and we lost touch over the years.

"oh my god what is that?"

she shouted and grabbed my arm hand looking at my ring.

"my ... wedding ring?"

I turned the last work into a question watching her big blue eyes widen.

"you're married?"

I should have thought she'd notice the huge sparkly rock on my finger. I pulled the ring off my finger and gave it to her. I faintly heard Charlie downstairs tell Liz about how my fiancé died. I decided to follow his lead.

"I was engaged"

"You changed so much"

Caroline whispered still holding the ring before, in true Caroline fashion, she tried it on.

"More than you can imagine"

I muttered under my breath but she heard me somehow

"what do you mean?"

I shook my head not wanting to upset her and make her afraid of me. she shook her own head before bouncing on the bed and looking at me expectantly

"well tell me everything! What's his name, is he good in bed?"

"Caroline!"

I exclaimed feeling a blush rising on my cheeks. she giggled and pinned me with a stare. Darn that 'Swan stare'! I sighed and fell back on the bed next to her, both of us laying on out backs.

"His name was Edward, he's my age and we've been together for two years. With a six month long break. we got engaged in the spring"

I explained changing the dates a bit leaving out the part of the wedding as I was looking at this relocation as a fresh start.

"Were you pregnant?"

I jumped up. How did she figure that out?

"Why do you say that?"

"When you talk about him you sound flat. Like he's a stranger, not your long term boyfriend. plus you always hated our parents getting married young"

Huh! The Caroline I remembered wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer... i sighed again and nodded not wanting to drag it out

"I lost it a few days after the engagement"

"Are you sure? You smell funny"

Caroline muttered under her breath but I heard her perfectly

"hey! that's rude, I've been driving for twelve hours"

I exclaimed but I couldn't help but notice that she didn't smell right either. She smelled sweetly almost vampire sweetly but her eyes were their usual blue and she was warm and had a heartbeat.

"Not that... you smell really sweetly. What are you?"

She asked me getting slowly up from the bed. I followed suit thinking hard but my excuses coming up empty.

"what are you?"

I threw the proverbial tennis ball back to her court.

"I'm a vampire"

She said as is it was the most normal thing on the planet.

"So am I"

I deadpanned calling out her bluff. She can't be a vampire... she scoffed and her dove changed. Her eyes got all vainy and when she snarled i saw she had fangs. what the...?

I let a snarl of my own feeling venom coat my teeth and my eyes darken. She looked as shell shocked as me and grabbing a pillow she attacked me. I rolled on my back throwing her over me and straight to the wall my body going on autopilot. I grabbed a second pillow and we began fighting again. Snarling for all that was worth. Soon the door was picked in and both Charlie and Renee stood there their guns pointing straight at us.

both too far gone, we snarled at them. as soon as their terrified faces registered with me I swallowed back the venom pooling in my mouth and looking at Caroline, who was doing the same, I saw she was covered in pretty white feathers.

that's when I lost it and began laughing hysterically falling back on the bed. Faintly I heard Caroline's laughter joining mine.


	5. Vampires of our lives

Chapter 5: Vampires of our lives

When the laughter died and my heartbeat went back to its normal rhythm.

"what?"

Caroline shrugged under the now confused looks of the adults in the room.

"what is wrong with you two?"

Liz asked lowering her handgun. Charlie's however was still pointing straight at us.

"We're vampires"

Caroline said casually.

"But different from each other"

I added just as casually. Only then dad lowered his own gun and he and Liz walked slowly in the room kneeling on the floor in front us.

"Bella your eyes are crimson red"

Charlie noted. I didn't know that

"Really? She has fangs!"

I pointed to Caroline who was looking at my eyes.

"That's normal. Your eyes however..."

Liz noted dismissively Caroline reached behind me to grab a plastic blue handheld mirror to show me my eyes. They were right. the girl in the mirror had normal human feeder red eyes.

"I'm normal, she isn't"

I insisted. at Liz's and Caroline's confused looks Charlie rolled his eyes, stood up, helped Liz to sit up and they sat on the bed with us.

"There was a coven of Cold Ones in forks. They changed Bella a week ago"

"she doesn't look like a cold one"

Liz noted touching my warm hand.

"What's a cold one?"

"I'm still in the room"

Caroline and I said at the same time. Charlie answered Caroline

"A cold one is a different breed of vampires. Ice cold skin, red or gold eyes, deathly pale, sparkle under the sunlight and can only be killed by their own kind or a werewolf"

"or a shape shifter"

I added.

"that is so cool!"

Caroline said clapping like a three year old and I couldn't help but laughing with her. Liz yawned, checked her watch and her eyes widened.

"it's two am. how about we all go bed and talk about this in the morning?"

we all nodded and Liz mentioned something about spare rooms. I decided I'd sleep with Caroline like when we were kids and Charlie said he'd take a bed. Caroline tossed me a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top. As soon as the lights were out fell asleep immediately as if someone had flipped a switch. I chuckled and fell asleep as well.

Soft sunlight was hitting my eyes woke me up and something heavy and blond was on my chest. I rubbed my eyes and looked down to see Caroline sleeping soundly. I didn't have the heart to wake her up and I laid there thinking about my strange dream.

I had dreamt of a man. Black hair, vibrant blue eyes all vainy like Caroline's were the night before. in a deep serious voice he kept telling me that I'm safe and to forget him until he came back. behind him was the burning house in Phoenix I lived with my mother, step father and baby brother. It was the night they died.

I lived in California with Renee, my mother, when she met Phil. he was a pretty decent guy who played with the Phoenix Desert Dogs so Renee decided we'd move across the continent to phoenix without asking my opinion stating that I was thirteen so the choice was hers.

That's when the things went downhill.

Phil bought a big house in the middle of phoenix and for a while things were amazing. Phil and Renee got married and within a year they popped a baby boy. Bobby my little monkey. However upon seeing Bobby's bluish eyes Phil decided that Renee had cheated (he had green eyes and so did mom so where did the blue come from?) and slowly went nuts. He'd hit Renee a couple of times when bobby was too loud and I weren't there or would spend hours in the backyard practicing. I cancelled on my annual summer vacation with dad because I really didn't want to leave Renee bobby alone with Phil and I was proven right. When Phil was kicked out of the team for abusing drugs he took it out us. I was out with some friends and when I came back I found Renee lying on the kitchen floor and Phil was using bobby as his personal football throwing him again and again in the bushes.

when he saw me he threw bobby at me and i took him running in the basement. I don't remember much after that.

I remember Phil yelling at us. I remember bobby whispering my name right before he passed away in my arms. I remember the fire and I remember the man.

Caroline murmured 'Tyler' in her sleep and squeezed my boob ending my day dream and bringing me back to reality. I yelped not expecting that and she woke up blushing when her hand didn't leave my boob.

"I'm so so so sorry"

"it's okay, what are cousins for?"

"you can squeeze mine if you want"

"How about we skip the 'Girls gone wild: Mystic Falls edition' and go get some breakfast"?

I declined her offer and we trudged our way downstairs. Liz and dad were studying some files on the kitchen table and they packed them up so that we could all have breakfast.

I poured the coffee, Liz served cereal, dad made rounds pouring milk on them and Caroline took a big water bottle with a dark red liquid and poured two glasses of it and two glasses of orange juice.

"what's that?"

I asked feeling venom pool in my mouth.

"Blood, its easier to get my daily dosage if I have it every morning"

Caroline said shrugging. I nodded and with a sigh I gulped my glass and then started breakfast. After breakfast Caroline had coffee plans with Elena, the brunette girl from the night before, and I declined her invitation to join them opting to do the laundry. Four days on the road meant that me and Charlie were seriously low on the clean clothes pile.

I was folding the freshly washed clothes when Caroline stormed in two hours later looking positively pissed off.

"Care bear, what's wrong?"

"I just realized my friends aren't my friends anymore"

I put the basket on the table and sat her down on a breakfast stool.

"want to put subtitles to that?"

"It's stupid. Elena, Bonnie and I grew up together until the two of them suddenly realized that they're better friends for each other than me. And while I knew it all this time, I chose not to see it until now"

She shook her head.

"anyway, ignore me"

I smiled softly.

"never"

we talked about forks and my friends there when a knock on the door interrupted us. A package was laying there on the porch innocently with an envelope on top of it

"what is it?"

i asked her and leaned over her shoulder to take a look at it. it was an invitation for a ball that same evening and the package revealed a beautiful dress.

"it's a weird Cinderella fantasy, I tell you"

Caroline grumbled and I shook my head.

"who's Klaus?"

I asked her seeing the name on the invitation. she huffed and shared the tale of the crazed vampire that was in reality half werewolf and half vampire named Klaus. That vampire had managed to become a hybrid by breaking a curse that had him kill a vampire and a werewolf and drink her friend Elena who was saved by magic. He wanted to kill Caroline originally but another vampire saved her so Klaus turned Elena's biological father into a vampire and then killed him. Afterwards he started making an army of hybrids, memories of Victoria flooded me but i kept my mouth shut, including her werewolf boyfriend called Tyler. Elena's vampire ancestor found and woke up Klaus' vampire father, not to spank him and send him to his room without supper, but to try and kill Klaus which of course fell through and Klaus killed his father instead. Obviously. now the rest of Klaus' vampiric family held this ball but most of all she wondered if she should wear the bracelet he gave her as a birthday present when her now hybrid boyfriend bit her by accident causing her to almost die but Klaus saved her by feeding her his mixed blood.

when she stopped to take a breath I only had one response

"I'm getting a headache"


	6. Rocky

Chapter 6: Rocky

"I have nothing to wear"

Caroline exclaimed. We were in her bedroom and she was throwing dress after dress after dress on the bed. I saw a forest green one that she'd look great in but she had worn it last year and didn't want to wear it again. I rolled my eyes.

"Caroline, he sent you a dress"

she turned around and glared at me.

"Glare all you want, you know you're gonna wear it. I doubt you can go shopping and get ready in less than three hours"

"YOU can go shopping?"

She demanded. I nodded smartly

"yep. I can do it but a- I hate shopping and b- I can do it"

I smiled innocently and she rolled her eyes.

"Come on pretty girl. You go shower and I'll put the dresses back"

I pushed her in the adjoining bathroom and shook my head at her antics. When she was done I helped her into the dress that fitted her like a glove and watched as she did her hair. I refused to be reminded of Alice dressing me on my wedding day.

"Bella can I borrow your ring?"

She asked me wincing. I follow her eyes on my left hand and nodded.

"sure. I need to stop wearing it anyway"

I forced a shrug and handed her the ring feeling as if the anchor I felt pressing on my chest was suddenly gone. I handed her the keys to my car, honestly dressed like Cinderella and her tiny pink car? Too much Barbie like for both our tastes.

When she was gone I decided to sit on the porch swing for a while until felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Liz in her uniform coming from work.

"How come you're not at the dance?"

I asked her when she sat next to me.

"I have a string of murders to solve"

she shrugged

"but before than I need to talk to you about something"

"sure, what's up?"

"Charlie though that since I'm a woman its easier to talk to you"

"we're not gonna talk about the birds and the bees are we? 'cause that's a little too late"

I made a crappy joke trying to get her to smile. it worked

"I tried that with Caroline once. we're both scarred for life. I know Bill just died and we were divorced for years but I know you feel. If you need to talk to a woman, I'm here"

she said awkwardly. I nodded just as awkwardly

"thanks for the offer but, strangely enough, I think I'm ok. I mean its sad because I knew them but it hurt much more when he left me last year"

Liz nodded thoughtfully as Charlie pulled in the driveway and joined us

"hey girls. Bells do you wanna look for houses today?"

"Why?"

Liz asked. dad shuffled his feet

"we're imposing Lizzie"

"No, you're not. This is your house too Charlie and it has rooms, you know that."

I watched them as they argued until Liz gave a triumphant smile and dad blushed shaking his head.

"fine"

"Care to share?"

"we're staying"

dad said fighting back a smile and Liz grinned. I grinned back

"okay then"

"you need clothes though"

Liz stated and my face fell

"I hate shopping"

I objected like a three year old.

"don't we all"

Liz said in a sad tone and pushed me inside to get dressed. Knowing I should respect the authorities I obliged and since my own clothes were hung to dry I scavenged through Caroline's huge closet. I've always been a jeans and a tank with sneakers type of girl but vampirism had brought a new fashion sense in me. I still wore jeans and tanks but they were a little more stylish. I grabbed a pair of jeans and paired it with a casual and cute purple and white top and a pair of ankle booties. I took my favorite tote purse and went downstairs where dad was handing a ring to Liz.

"hey"

"hey bells, I want you to wear this"

dad said and handed me a ring. it was gold, average size and had an amethyst on it. It featured two small swans and the letter 'B' between them. I look at Liz who wore the same ring, only hers had the letter 'L' and dad who was wearing the male equivalent of it with the letter 'C'.

"why?"

"There are a lot of vampires and other supernatural beings in this town. The rings protect you from their gifts and will bring you back if you die an supernatural death"

Liz explained and slipped hers on.

"too late for that"

I quipped

"They're also family heirlooms, put it on"

Dad insisted and shrugging I obliged and slipped the ring on my right pointer finger. We all got in Liz car, thankfully sheriffs in Virginia do not drive cruisers, color me happy!

Liz decided we'd better go to Virginia Beach for shopping instead of Mystic Falls for one very simple reason, there is only one mall in Mystic Falls and that's it.

It was almost midnight when we were done and returned home. we all said goodnight and Liz and Charlie went back into their childhood rooms and within minutes two soft snorings were heard. I looked my new room but it was so full of dust and whatever I decided I'd sleep with Caroline again and stepped into the bathroom. After a long soothing shower I realized I had forgot clothes so I wrapped a big fluffy towel around me and returned to the bedroom.

However before I could do anything a shadow passed through the ajar window. I hid behind it and held my breath feeling my heart stop in the process. A blond male figure in a tailored tux slipped in and headed for the bed.

Hoping I remembered Jasper's instructions well I attacked.


	7. Cousins and fights

Chapter 7 : Cousins and fights

Jeremy Gilbert was an angry boy. He'd always been the poor second to his popular and successful sister not only to their peers and classmates but also to their parents.

When he was little he had nightmares of a strange man with an English accent threatening his life but when he had told his parents they had dismissed it as bad dreams but when it was Elena who had similar dreams they'd take her into their bed and held her all night long.

Growing up his father had seen him as more than just his sister's baby brother and the two would spend time together and be great, at least until Elena decided she wanted daddy's attention.

Just like the night they died.

It was his birthday and for once his parents listened to him and they spent the evening quietly at home like liked. However Elena didn't like that and chose to go to a party instead. When the party got raided by the police and the sheriff called about Elena drunk his parents went to fetch her, without even a backwards glance at him, instead of letting her spend the night in jail. on their way back they got in a freak accident while driving on the bridge and they both died. Only Elena made it out alive.

That's when he turned to drugs and booze and sex but in the end with the help of the vampire brother of Elena's vampire boyfriend (because all that crap actually exists) he got over that and went back to being her dutiful little brother. Even though he wasn't her brother.

Until because of her his paternal uncle John aka Elena's biological father died (even though he wasn't sure how he died, he had zero memories of the event), he himself almost died ending up to seeing dead people and their maternal aunt Jenna almost died and had simply returned to college, now he found himself in Denver because something inside him told him he had to go to Denver.

Upon landing he realized that there were zero family friends in Denver and that it probably wasn't his idea to begin with, even though his brain insisted that it was. Luckily a girl who was dropping a friend at the airport offered him a ride to a motel (because for some reason he also had no access to his bank account his parents set up for him either so he couldn't afford a cab and the motel).

The girl's name was Stephenie and her last name was... you got it, Gilbert. She was Uncle John's legitimate kid. The two skipped the ride and stopped for coffee.

"so... we're cousins, right?"

she threw her long light brown hair over her shoulder casually and leaned back in her side of the booth, her light blue eyes trained on him. Jeremy nodded knowing he was going to rock the ground beneath her feet.

"our dads are brothers"

"so you know where my dad is?"

"Last time I saw him, he was leaving Mystic Falls in early summer. he hasn't been back since?"

"no. not a card either. he missed my college graduation, he'd never do that"

"seriously?"

Jeremy's mouth fell open. John was nothing but a forgetful s.o.b., at least with him and Elena. He started to gently tell her about his sister being john's other kid but she already knew. John had sat both her mother Angela and herself down in the spring told them about his brother's death and the children that were left behind.

"Mom told him that if he wanted to bring you and your sister to live with us or if he wanted us to move, she'd be okay with it. Her parents died when she was a teenager as well"

"what did he say?"

"that your maternal aunt already lived with you so there was no need"

Stephenie shrugged before asking him straight

"is it true that your sister is also my sister?"

Jeremy looked at her for a moment before nodding

"how long have you known?"

"I overheard mom and dad arguing one night in February about dad going to mystic to be a judge in some beauty pageant. he wanted to be there for his niece and mom argued about it. a bit later dad whispered that his niece was his other daughter. Mom threw him out and run upstairs, I hid in my room"

the two cousins hit it off immediately. Angela Gilbert, Stephenie's mother, had no problem meeting Jeremy whom she regarded family immediately and insisted he moved in with them as long as he agreed to help around the family ranch.

In the end horses and Jeremy proved to be a perfect match. At least until Halloween rolled around and the two flew back to mystic. Stephenie looking for her father and Jeremy looking for answers.

Klaus was locked in what he'd like to call his thinking room. The very same room he had shown Caroline earlier fixing the broken bracelet. He wasn't sure why he had shown her the room but he didn't quite regret it. Yet. Probably because her bright blue eyes had the same almond shape as miss 'brown eyes' he had saved from a crazed copper haired sparkly guy back in spring.

if he was honest with himself those eyes, the girl's soft voice, her scent kept haunting him. he found himself drawing her face at odd times. When his mother had asked him if he'd bring a date this morning those dark brown eyes had appeared in his mind without his consent.

so he had asked Caroline. He did it for two reasons. The first one was because it would piss off his sister, petty and childish but it worked. The second one was because on the night of her birthday, when he was feeding the dying vampire girl his blood he had seen those dark brown almond shaped eyes. There was a photograph on her dresser featuring two little girls. One was obviously Caroline but the other one was his girl, as a little girl.

Wait. **His** girl? When did that happen?

That's how he found himself on this slippery slope. He had made a gazillion drawings of her, her eyes; he had even stolen that picture from Caroline's dresser. He finished the drawing he had made for Caroline he left his house ignoring the looks he got from his family and ran to Caroline's house. A quick cursory hearing told him there were 2 sleeping humans so he jumped straight to Caroline's room through the window.

he had failed to smell the room before sneaking in and someone attacked him from behind.

he relied on his instincts as he fought his attacker but no matter how much he bit them he felt as if he was biting marble. it did zero damage and his teeth threatened to break. Finally he managed to overpower his opponent and threw them on the bed kneeling over them holding one hand around their throat and the other one holding theirs back flat on the bed.

"what the hell is going on?"

"that I would very much like to know"

the person on the bed snarled at him

"get the hell off her"

Caroline shrieked from the now open bedroom door. Klaus blinked a few times his eyes traveling to the figure on the bed. it was a girl, wrapped in a fluffy green towel, crimson red eyes glaring at him and a cocked eyebrow was sent his way. he watched as the crimson orbs rolled and he received a really well aimed knee kick and was thrown sideways on the soft bed. he watched as towel-girl got up and pushed her wet dark red hair away from her face.

"Bells!"

"he snuck inside while I was changing Carrie! what did you want me to do, ask him if he'd prefer leg or breast?"

"you got a point... that's Klaus"

Caroline told the other girl and Klaus watched with something similar to fascination as the crimson was slowly gone from towel-girl's face and spread on her cheeks as her eyes widened and returned to focus on him

"sorry..."

the girl winced and he recognized those deep brown eyes.

"it.. it's ok"

he croaked both from the lingering pain on his groin but also from the morbid realization he could and would have killed his girl if Caroline hadn't interrupted.

"I'm going to do something, anything"

she mumbled and flew from the room ducking behind Caroline who's raised eyebrow demanded answers, with a sigh he explained to her he wanted to leave her something and before the blond vampire could answer he had jumped back out of the window and perched himself on a tall branch that had perfect view of the room.

"Just call me Klaus the peeping tom"

he mumbled to himself and turned his attention to the room just as miss brown eyes returned to the room and Caroline called her boyfriend

"hey, is he gone?"

"yeah he left this drawing"

Caroline replied the soft soprano voice and the two laid on the bed. were they...

"he's a good artist"

"yeah he is"

"did you have a good time?"

"actually yeah I did, I miss Tyler though"

"did you call him?"

"I left him a message"

his girl started laughing

"what?"

"You had what three boyfriends in the last year and I only had one in two years"

both girls burst laughing

"want one of mine?"

"nah thanks"

"I missed you Bella"

"we live together now, can't miss each other again cuz"

the two girls soon fell asleep but Klaus was elated. he found her name

'Bella' and that she's single. he all but skipped the way back to his house


	8. Last years Victoria turns to Klaus

Chapter 8: Last years Victoria turns into Klaus

fries in a scrambled omelets with shredded ham, green onions, grated marble cheese and corn with an orange on the side. that's the usual breakfast we have on Sundays. Caroline and i were the first up so we decided to get our liquid breakfast and prepare the rest for the whole family.

Breakfast for all four was a strange and domestic affair but if I were honest I wouldn't have it any other way. This is what had initially drawn me to the colleens, their big family and how they were so just out of reach. At the first glance at least, but up close it was all kinds of dysfunctional. The vampirism wasn't one of it.

our plates hit he table with a loud clank as we sat around the large dining room all of us looking at the sunny day outside the large bay windows. Dad and Liz shared the local newspaper, Caroline buried herself in teen vogue and I opened my all time classic Wuthering heights.

after breakfast Charlie and Liz went to work on his bedroom, seriously super cars wallpaper? posters of Knight Rider and various shows I've never even heard off? out! dad painted his walls in green and deep ochre tones.

my room was far more blander as it used to be one of the spare rooms so Caroline and I used vampire speed to paint the walls. two were in a soft rose pink color and the other two were covered with wallpaper, one wall had white wall paper with flowers in the same rose pink and the other one was that of a big city at night with tall black buildings in the dark blue of twilight sky.

dad set up the new furniture and by the time dinner rolled by both our rooms were ready for use. for dinner we drove to the city to hit an international restaurant that was hidden in a corner and we were to our respective beds by midnight.

"how can you be so calm about this?"

I heard Liz asking Charlie just before sleep claimed me

"I was preparing for it the moment she introduced him to me, Liz. She dated a cold one, I knew that sooner or later he'd either snap and kill her or change her."

"but Charlie"

"But nothing Liz. It is what it is. I tried to break them up and all it did was to get them closer. I mourned for her before her death when she decided to marry him. I don't know what happened but she's alive and that's all that matters"

I closed my eyes making a mental note to never make Charlie mourn me again.

**NO POV**

Next day was yet another sunny one. The family had breakfast together, something everyone liked, and then three of the four occupants of the house left either for school or work. Charlie had decided to stay home and work on the murders as Liz would conceal his official presence there by saying he's her brother and was there for Bill's funeral.

As soon as the two cars were en route Charlie washed the breakfast dishes and headed into his father's old study in the den and from the hidden safe he took his dad's most secret books and journals. A few hours of research and a pot of coffee later he had a list of people and began calling them, on by one.

He had called the last person when there was a soft knock at the door and Bella's head was stuck in to inform him that she and Caroline would go out to meet some of Caroline's friends and that dinner was on the table for him and Liz when they returned.

It was 8pm and the day had flown by without him noticing.

**BPOV**

Caroline and i were lounging in her bed her cell rang with the word 'undead lover #1' glowing on the screen. I raised an eyebrow at her handing her the phone

"Long story"

she answered the phone and roughly three seconds later she was into her closet and was throwing clothes at me.

"what are you doing?"

"we need to go to the grill"

"okay... why?"

"mama original is performing a spell to kill her kids"

"and we wanna stop it because...?"

"because Elena is the centre of the local universe and she said so"

"you need better friends"

I mumbled as I changed into the denim skirt and red top she threw at me. She put the same but in black on and then moved on to a massive shoe collection. She put on boots and handed me a pair of red high heeled pumps.

"Where will these transport me if I click them?"

I said in a joking tone and she burst into a fit of giggles"

we donned jackets because it was a tad chilly at night and after telling dad we'd leaving we got in her car and left. 'The grill' was a bar and grill combo and the only place to drink, play pool, darts, or have dinner in this town. No wonder Liz dashes to Virginia Beach every weekend.

We walked inside holding pinkies just like when we were little. The place packed meaning than everyone under the age of forty and over the age of fifteen was in here.

"what do you think?"

she asked me wearing her customary Caroline proud smirk. I smiled back

"it's the size of my pinky. But nothing Forks ever had!"

we laughed quietly for a moment and after a cursory glance around she pointed to two guys drinking half the Grill's liqueur supply and we walked at the bar.

"Two strawberry martinis please"

The blondish bartender nodded and fixed the order. I turned to look at Caroline incredulous

"They serve you alcohol?"

"we need lot more than one drink to get drank. plus we're eighteen"

I raised an eyebrow at her and sat on the stool next to hers deciding to ignore everything. the bartender returned with our drinks and we clinked glasses.

"Look at that. Your blond from the other night and your sketch girl. Tasty little things"

"say another word and I'll tear out your liver"

came two voices behind me with British accents. I mouthed 'sketch girl' to Caroline who shrugged one eyebrow her eyes traveling over my shoulder. I heard footsteps behind us as she got her game face on. A disinterested mask with shifty eyes and a side smirk.

"ladies"

Klaus and another guy were in front of us.

"oh, its you"

was Caroline's reply at I had to shallow back the laughter that rose up inside me and took a sip of my drink to cover it up.

"Hi"

"Can we join you for a drink?"

Mr Charmer asked. Carrie's eyes glowered for a quick moment before she flashed a smirk that would easily put Rosalie to shame

"I'd rather die of thirst first. Sorry"

she quipped not sounding sorry at all. I bit back another smile watching her.

"how about you doll face?"

the silent so far sleezeball asked me. This time I didn't bothering the grimace on my face. Instead I downed my drink and slid out of my stool

"I forgot my cell phone in the car. I'll meet you outside Caroline"

"'k I'll ask Alaric about my test and be right out"

I flashed a smile and grabbing my purse made my way outside. on my way to the door the two men kept talking

"isn't she stunning?"

"which one?"

I assumed Klaus pointed to Caroline as the other sleezeball, who by the way seriously needed to start brushing his teeth 'cause that breath was revolting, spoke again

"she sure looks good walking away from you"

once outside i shook my head and made my way slowly to Caroline's pink car parked on the other side of the street.

"Hey!"

I whipped around

"hello?"

What the hell is he doing after me? Wasn't he supposed to be lusting after my blond cousin?

"Sorry about him"

"Who is the creep anyway?"

"My brother"

oops

"Guess it runs in the family"

I said lightly as his eyes darkened. Should I start running yet?

"I did break into the room. How should I acquit myself?"

he conceded but the fault didn't lie with him only

"I didn't help matters by attacking you either. How about we start again? I'm Bella"

"Klaus"

we shook hands. he motioned us to a bench being very 'luckily' right next to us and we sat down. he seemed familiar somehow and I felt as if I was back in biology with Edward. where the hell is Caroline when you need her?

"What do you wanna talk about?"

i asked a few moments later.

"I want to talk about you. Your hopes, your dreams, everything you want in life"

"Seriously? You just met me and you're trying to seduce me? I'm sorry but you're barking up the wrong tree"

I smiled but he didn't seem fazed.

"We'll see about that"

we had a small staring contest until he gasped and sprang to his feet. I followed suit

"what's wrong?

"what did you do?"

he asked me, I shook my head

"nothing"

"what did you do?"

he shouted angry and shook me by the arms

"nothing"

I shouted back my body snapping back to spring break when during the fight with Victoria Edward backed me on a tree and was sure he going to kill me. Looking into my eyes Klaus froze for a moment and let me go abruptly before muttering the word 'kol' and took off running. Shaking I sat back down and Caroline joined me.

"bell? what happened?"

"can we go home now?"


	9. Thank you Damon

Chapter 9: Thank you Damon

**No POV**

School was a drag. The teachers had zero passion for their subjects, the students were most excited over a carnival/masquerade party - even though Halloween was more than a month away and Caroline kept yapping over a 'Barbie' being at school wanting to steal her spot as cheerleading captain and queen bee of the school.

'yep. Caroline's brain activity fell back down to 2-3%'

Bella mused as she tuned her cousin out expertly after doing the same with Jessica Stanley for the past 2 years. Caroline's friends weren't talking to each other meaning they were both glaring at each other using Caroline as a buffer until the latter snapped and told them both to grow up.

Her ex-boyfriend, Matt was a cute blond that reminded Bella oddly off Mike Newton. The two teenagers shared mannerisms, were both star athletes and being the all-American boys. Matt Donovan had a broken arm though and was the ex of both Caroline's and Elena's, surprisingly enough he was the only human in his group of friends.

Then there was Elena herself. she seemed a simple human at first glance but with a tendency to control everyone else in the vicinity. Including the history teacher who seemed to look at her for approval before testing the students. this is ridiculous!

last but not least was the local teenage witch, Bonnie, who was busier with her estranged mother being in transition to become a vampire than paying even a smidge of attention to class.

At least Forks has more humans than supernatural.

Speaking of supernatural, the same night the two Salvatore brothers were at the Grill shooting darts and actually bonding now that things were back to normal for them. Stefan was back to eating bunnies thus slowly freeing himself from Klaus' compulsion somehow. On the other hand Damon was planning to take some time off mystic falls and travel west. It had been almost ten days since his last trip but his gut screamed to get a dose of normalcy.

Around them Mystic Grill was once again donned in ridiculous decorations thanks to the party that was in full swing. It was packed with teens as everyone that didn't want to go to the carnival held at the town's square was at the bar. to top it up the only person without a costume was Damon. he had mocked his brother who was dressed as a vampire, ironically enough, and refused to get dressed himself. he was simply going as Damon, master a**hole extraordinaire in black clothes and a mask to match.

Seeing Elena walk in he threw a twenty on the counter to cover his drinks and whipped around to leave choosing to leave Stefan deal with the drama queen but a voice stopped him cold in his tracks.

"Carrie, I love you but if you even think about bringing me into 'Bring It On: the Mystic vampires, I will put a stake a through your heart"

"but.."

the brunette girl threw a harsh glare to Miss Mystic who shut up before the two shared a smile and headed to a pool table. the brunette must have sensed his eyes on her because she turned around only to turn into a human statue.

"you"

they both said at the same time drawing not only Caroline's and Stefan's attention but also matt's who moved closer despite the heavy cast on his wrist.

"what are you doing here?"

Damon asked. Bella replied with another question

"Who are you?"

"Didn't' your mother teach you to not answer a question with another question?"

Damon snarked but it lacked its usual bite. he was honestly and utterly confused. Bella's lips became a thin line as she got angry. she hated having her mother thrown back to her.

"I'd tell you to bite me but I have the feeling you already have"

She seethed as her memories cleared. Damon was the icy blue eyed, black haired man from her flashback. she wished she and Caroline had switched colors in their yin/yan scheme as she knew his blood would be a bitch to clear off her white dress.

"we all have our free lunches"

he deadpanned bracing himself for the white dressed hybrid-girl to attack him. Only she didn't and instead threw a knife at him from a couple having dinner nearby. Funny enough the couple thought they were giving a show and clapped as his silk black shirt got stained with blood.

"what did you do to me?"

Bella sneered pinning him with a glare. Behind her Caroline's brain decided to work again putting two and two together and figuring out what had happened to her cousin.

"you ... you!"

she exclaimed, Damon rolled his eyes but instead of being angry Bella only smiled

"Thank you"

"What the-. You're thanking him?"

Stefan sputtered. Bella nodded

"he saved my life in Phoenix. Phil would have killed me too"

Bella said quietly, not taking her eyes off Damon's.

"Not to mention Forks"

the latter one casually added his eyes making a point of looking to her flat stomach before plunging the knife out of his chest

"How did you do it? I thought I can't be dazzled"

"first of all, its 'compelled' and secondly we're stronger than Cold Ones"

"Mentally only"

she finished for him with a cheeky grin

"do I have you to thank for this?"

she held up her right wrist pointing to the blue bracelet she always wore. in fact she had never taken it off, not even at her wedding even though Alice threatened she'd rip it off unless Bella complied.

"yep"

Damon smirked in his usual way mentally grieving for the loss of her blood. to lift the general spirits Bella changed the general focus by motioning Caroline to Matt

"erm, Caroline? if your blood can cure Matt's wrist as long as he doesn't die afterwards why does he still have that cast?"

as the blond vampire face palmed herself as she had completely forgotten about that and the rest just laughed at her expense, no one saw the annoyed twist on Elena's lips as she stormed out of the grill with evil thoughts circling her little head.


	10. Meanwhile at the arcade

Chapter 10: Meanwhile at the arcade

In the tent that normally housed the fortune teller stood Charlie Swan. Around him was a group of people and none of whom looked happy to be there. At the small table stood a small laptop and a bunch of medical and police files and a muscled man was reading the medical ones.

"So you're saying that not only the legends are real but someone is also killing our families, my brother?"

"why isn't any of this in the papers?"

a woman with long blond hair asked while browsing the internet. Her name was Tracy Fell and was an investigative reporter in DC. She had helped Charlie cover up the vampire attacks in Forks the previous years and was the first he called.

"Liz is keeping under wraps for now. But its getting out of control"

"Why are no reports on Zack?"

The oldest of the group asked. He seemed to be in his late fifties and spoke with a heavy Italian accent.

"he's not dead sir"

Charlie said confused

"my son hasn't talked to me since the family abominations came back here"

"I'm sorry mr. Salvatore but according to Liz he went back to Italy and left Damon in his place at the council"

"it's safe to assume he's dead too. Just like my uncle"

Jeff Lockwood said calmly. he was a twenty three year old lawyer who unlike his father, mason, didn't advertise himself. Richard knew about his brother's discrepancies and had taken his nephew under his wing helping him get into college and even gave him an internship at his law firm. Since the day Richard had died he had kept an eye on his wife.

"Why am I here?"

Stephenie Gilbert asked confused. She had plans with her cousin Jeremy but he was nowhere to be found. Joseph gave her the once over and felt pity for the girl.

"All I want is to find my father"

Stephenie finished. Tracy rolled her green eyes at the girl's nativity and decided to fill her in the town's problems. After all they were all descendants of the founder families.

A loud scream interrupted their meeting as a blond woman made a freefall from the Ferris wheel on the other side of the town square.

"I'm sorry miss, you need a partner to ride the Ferris"

the bulky man said apologetically at the young girl that was about to sit at the last wagon.

"There you are love; I've been looking for you"

Klaus gave the man his best smirk and slipped to the last wagon. Bella sighed and shook her head chuckling before joining him. The man locked the safety bar and walked back to his position and turned the Ferris on watching as it began to play a few cheesy carnival songs as it worked.

"so... what are you doing here?"

"I want to apologize for last night. I shouldn't have grabbed you"

"no you shouldn't but I hear you have anger issues"

Bella stared at the older hybrid that looked down for a moment.

"I want to know more about you"

He changed the subject easily.

"of course you do"

"come on, tell me something i don't know about you"

"that would imply that you do something about me but you don't"

the two hybrids looked at each other for a few moments.

"I know that you look good in a towel"

"yeah..."

a blush colored her cheeks.

"you don't know about me that.. um- I'm only a week old"

"really"

"your turn"

the Ferris stopped and the wagon with the pair was almost at the top.

"I played in a film"

Bella smirked at his actually shy tone

"Mansfield Park"

"you.. you've seen it?"

"I love old classic books and did a paper on it back in phoenix. So I saw the movie as well mr. Price"

it was his turn to blush as they started talking about this and that and everything and nothing. their chat was interrupted by a scream as a blond woman fell from the wagon on the top and landed with a splash

"Liz"

the body was laying face down and the crowd around it made it difficult for anyone to go near it. Bella and Klaus had jumped from their wagon but thankfully no one saw them as everyone's attention was at the dead woman dressed in blue shirt and pants. Like a cop without the insignia.

Charlie and the rest of the backup founders pushed their way closer as the Ferris wheel operator turned the body around after checking for a pulse. Bella hid her face in Klaus' chest just as the face was uncovered.

"What's going on here?"

Liz asked nearing them. She was looking at the group of people behind Charlie and not on the dead woman on the ground.

"Mommy?"

Caroline gasped and ran to her mother to give her a hug tight enough to bruise the older woman's ribs. Looking at the ground they saw that the woman was the head of the fire station and yet another member of the founder's council. Over Caroline's shoulders Liz locked eyes with her brother who nodded and motioned to the newcomers to leave the town square.

Liz hugged her daughter back finally realizing what Charlie had meant that their daughters could be dead, but they're not. It took the death of a woman she was friends with for Liz Forbes to realize that.

Caroline got herself under control but feeling zero mood to party she returned home and spent the rest of the night talking to Tyler.

Liz gathered the remaining members of the founder's council as her deputies gathered the body of the woman and transported it to the morgue even though it was a well known secret that the woman was stabbed.

Bella bid her new friend goodbye and went after Caroline, she was afraid her cousin might do something stupid. Not to mention her feet were killing her with those heels.

Charlie Swan had the most productive evening of them all. He and the rest of the newcomers met at the old motel in the outskirts of town. About five years ago the motel had closed due to the number of 'working girls' using it and giving the small town of Mystic Falls a bad name so the police had rounded the girls up and sent them packing. Since then the motel was empty.

The newly formed 'secret founders council' held its very first meeting on the first floor in the old dining room.

"This is ridiculous"

Stephenie Gilbert exclaimed. only Jeremy paid any attention to her whose suppressed memories had somehow came back.

"Yes, it is. but its also real. Vampires exist; werewolves exist and unless my memories are completely wrong John is dead because of them, not directly but still"

Stephenie nodded confused but at least things seemed to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. John's sudden trips to Mystic, the silence about his brother's family, how adamant he was that Stephenie never meets her cousins under any circumstances. She wasn't upset about him having another daughter though for the very simple reason she also had a new cousin because of it.

Elliott Forbes lived and worked in DC as a general surgeon. He was Bill's cousin and the two were never close but he liked Liz and Charlie. He had found about the supernatural world by treating Charlie's daughter in phoenix a couple years ago when he was there for a medical conference. the girl's wounds simply did not match her story so Charlie had sat him down and reluctantly had given him the 101 on vampires. So when his friend called him the previous day inviting him back to Mystic, the place he had only set foot for Bill's wedding, he quickly got in his car and drove the short distance.

In this new 'secret' council his place would be to review the medical files of all strange deaths in mystic and look for similarities in victims that were not members of the actual founder's council.

Tracy's job was to keep the press in line while Joseph's would be to take the Boarding house back to his name along with the rest of his family's properties as to keep the 'family abominations' in check. Lastly Jeff would use the pull his family name bore to keep an eye on Carol and her bed companions along with accessing the paperwork to transfer the correct property to the correct owner.

Stephenie, much to everyone's amusement, declared she'd take a job at the high school. The town's only non founder in the founder's council had died three times in the past week and it was only her family's power jewelry that kept him alive, someone had to keep an eye on him.

Right?


	11. Two down, three to go

Chapter 11: Two down, three to go

A person was lounging against the bar at the Grill. Only a couple was in there besides them in the large empty establishment. the redhead woman threw her head back laughing loudly before placing a kiss on the man's lips and headed to the bathroom. The person at the bar moved to intercept her.

"Sarah?"

the redhead undersheriff turned to the person following her. Her green eyes widened in recognition but she had no time to say a word or call for help. The killer plunged a well sharpened knife into her chest and pulled it back letting the air whoosh in and kill her immediately.

At the same time as Sarah Franks was being killed the same happened to her husband, Ian Franks the hospital director in his office. Both were members of the Founders' council as they were part of the town's officials.

And now they were dead.

Liz Forbes woke up groggily thanks to the annoying 'Staying alive' song. She hated the Bee Gees

"I'm going to kill Charlie"

she muttered pressing the button with the little green phone on. Moments later she sat up on her bed all plans for a relaxing day gone from her mind. She got dressed in her uniform mechanically and walked downstairs where Charlie was making breakfast while talking on the phone. she poured a cup of coffee on her travel mug as he finished his conversation and turned to her.

"There are two more"

were the first words she told him. he nodded

"Tracy called me. She's keeping it off the press, for now"

"Tracy? Oh you mean Logan's sister?"

"yeah she arrived yesterday. What happened with the woman at the Ferris?"

Liz took a sip of his coffee telling him that she was the head of the fire station. also a member of the council even though she wasn't a founder descendant.

"how many are still alive?"

Charlie asked fearing for the answer. Liz grimly responded

"two. Carol Lockwood and myself, Saltzman doesn't count"

At school the new teacher was welcomed as if she was a new brand of mold. No one cared. No one paid any attention at the fact that her last name was Gilbert or the striking resemblance she bore to Elena Gilbert who was easily failing the class. The only person that was even remotely friendly to her was her cousin who made a point by ignoring his 'sister' and spending his free time either talking to Stephenie or sketching on his notebook.

During recess Stephenie casually walked up to Alaric Saltzman who was in a heated discussion on his cell phone. She introduced herself but the older man ignored her so she turned on her laptop and worked on her material for the day.

Caroline was leaning against her locker when she received the best mews she had in the past couple weeks. A hand covered her eyes and a pair of fingers gave her the tickling of a lifetime.

"Tyler!"

she shrieked and slapped the offending hands away before knocking the breath of the teenage hybrid with a bone crushing hug and a welcoming kiss.

"When did you get back?"

"A moment ago"

"and you came to school?"

Caroline wondered checking comically his forehead for fever. Tyler slapped playfully her hands away smiling proudly

"I missed you"

Caroline smiled widely and nested in his arms. she didn't want to ask if he had managed to shake Klaus' hold on him, she simply did not wish to know

At the hospital Elliott Forbes demanded to be the one to perform the autopsy on the undersherriff and the hospital director. Meredith Fell tried her best to sway him from this decision but he was adamant as he was older and far more experienced than her. The young doctor had to other option but to step down cursing under her breath and hope against hope he didn't find anything he wasn't supposed to find.

At the other end of the small town Damon Salvatore was lounging on his chair sipping his drink while throwing knives on a large detailed map of the US that was hanging in his father's old office.

"Hey! You could hurt me"

Exclaimed the dark red haired vampire that was almost hit with the knife.

"nah, I have a great mark"

Damon lazily snaked. Bella rolled her eyes and took the knifes off the map and returned them to him

"what are you doing?"

Damon took the knives back and started throwing them again with his eyes closed this time while he replied.

"Planning my future buffet table since you're now... less than human"

"sorry. You only have yourself to blame for that you know. if you hadn't fed me your blood then I'd be a dead cold one by now"

She replied cheekily. Damon opened his eyes and groaned when he saw his knives were all over the map and discarded the idea altogether.

"Want a drink?"

"Sure, why not"

Moments later the two were sitting on a couch with drinks and were talking like old friends.

"Damnit"

Alaric swore when he left the school. the new girl, Stephenie, was talking with Jeremy and matt out on the front court. he had done his best to ignore her all day but Elena who once again was wrapped up in her own little world was not answering her phone and he had no idea what to do. he decided to act normally and walked up to them.

"oh, hey "

Matt exclaimed seeing the named history teacher behind Jeremy and Stephenie. Stephenie pulled a face before turning to see him and offer a polite smile.

"Hey Ric"

Jeremy greeted the teacher and sometimes friend with his casual childish smile.

"Jeremy... I thought you were in Denver"

Alaric asked with his eyebrows knotted.

"well, I was, but we didn't have any family friends there, kind of strange don't you think?"

Jeremy pointed out and Stephenie gave him a sly smile under Alaric's radar.

The resident 'Vampire hunter' nodded wondering just what had happened in Denver and who this Gilbert girl was.

"Well, you better work better on that essay"

"Don't worry, Jerry's under good care"

Stephanie mock-punched Jeremy's shoulder. Matt looked surprised at the nickname

"Sorry to leave you all but I'm off to practice"

Matt muttered and left. Behind him Jeremy was locked in a stare down with Alaric and Stephanie bit her lip when the latter muttered something under his breath.

"well, see you in class"

He told Jeremy before heading off to his car, his parting words making sure that Jeremy wasn't welcome in his own house.

"Looks like Mr. History doesn't want you home"

Stephenie said while taking her car keys of her pocket. Jeremy glanced at her.

"Seems like it. What's up with your attitude?

"nothing. He just rubs me the wrong way"


	12. Families

Chapter 12: Families…

That night the dining room of the underused motel in the outskirts of the town was abuzz with noise. Tracy Fell was typing furiously on her laptop whilst chatting with Stephenie and Elliott was near them helping with the "who-what-when" board. Jeffrey Lockwood and Joseph Salvatore were pouring over legal documents when Charlie walked in setting his cell phone and placing the takeout on the table. Everyone reached for the Chinese boxes and sodas

"What did you find out?"

Tracy grinned like the Cheshire cat making everyone put their food down.

"Only that whoever the killer is, has massacred half the city. There are missing person's reports on at least twenty people that were last seen here"

"Nice job"

Jeffrey commented before adding his own findings.

"Also the properties in this town change hands faster than a monopoly round"

he said talking around a bite of burger making the others flinch at his rudeness. Joseph ignored the younger man and finished.

"however most of the deeds in the town belong to dead people thus allowing free entrance to pretty much everyone"

Charlie nodded taking the findings in stride.

"and on the suspect pool?"

Stephenie took a sip of her soda gathering her thoughts before changing the subject.

"I spoke with Alaric Saltzman today. He literally brushed me off but he also made it quite clear that Jeremy isn't allowed back at his house. He was very fidgeting so I made a little research for him and spoke with his previous bosses and landlord. Nothing out of the ordinary but he gives me a bad feeling"

she finished.

"I looked into Aunt Carol. She is squeaky clean besides the fact that she took over as mayor without any sort of voting or election. she was seen having late nights out with a proclaimed writer named Elijah something but he was gone too. until last night when he was driving out of Mystic"

"alright Jeff"

Charlie responded studying the collage on one of the walls where the suspect pool was gathered.

"what about the Salvatore brothers?"

Joseph stood and neared the younger man attaching a picture of Stefan and Damon on the wall.

"according to family lore they're vampires changed back in 1864 during the big sweep. one of them killed their father and soon after they fled. the boarding house and all family property in the states passes from one descendant to the other and a branch of the family tree lives only to keep the property in line for when the brothers return which they do every thirty or forty years. They came back last year and shortly after my son went missing. One of them killed him"

Elliott leaned back in his chair

"I know what officially happened to my brother so I took another look at his body today. the report signed by dr. Fell was correct"

no one missed the disgusted twist on Tracy's lips but she motioned to Elliott to finish

"Bill died by a heart failure, officially. His body agrees with it except we know that he was transitioning to a vampire because he stabbed shortly after dr. fell injected him with vampire blood. Identical findings had both Sarah Franks and her husband Ian Franks. Both died by a stab wound at nearly the same time only they were half the town apart. neither had vampire blood in their system only traces of vervain"

Tracy cleared her throat

"First of all Dr. Fell doesn't exist. Meredith Bramer was grew up in Maryland and married Logan Fell on their first semester of college and divorced only a couple months afterwards. Her degree is one of a nurse, not a doctor"

she finished. Everyone blinked almost at once which was rather comical before the questions started falling like rain.

"Then why does she wear a doctor's nametag?"

"Let's not forget the first victim was allegedly her high school prom date from Mystic High"

"Where does she find the vampire blood?"

next morning Bella found herself glaring at the coffee machine that kept teasing her with the smell of the delicious coffee and yet produced said at snail pace. She had been woken up various times last night usually by a howling wolf. She would have been scared if she wasn't very much aware that the sound was accompanied by moans in the bedroom right next to hers.

"good morning"

bright eyed Caroline entered the kitchen dressed in the same t-shirt Tyler wore the previous day at school. Bella squinted at her glowing cousin.

"aoooo"

she mock-howled at Caroline who immediately became beet red.

"you heard that?"

"along with the rest of the town"

Bella deadpanned. Caroline shuffled her naked feet

"Well.. he's a wolf! its sort of... natural"

Bella raised an eyebrow concealing her smile enjoying the way her cousin was squirming

"I burst laughing the first time it happened!"

at that Bella couldn't help herself and burst laughing leaning against the counter for support as the two girls were laughing together.

"morning everyone"

a sleepy Tyler padded to the kitchen

"Tyler this is my cousin Bella"

Caroline said with a bright smile. a round smiles were used as greetings just as the ancient and huge coffeemaker spluttered the rest coffee. Caroline took the mugs out while Bella poured coffee for everyone. with a raised brow at Tyler Bella motioned to the last blood bottle and Caroline nodded grabbing 3 glasses and filled them with blood.

"I thought you're a wolf"

Bella asked casually feeling her skin harden at the taste of blood.

"Hybrid actually"

he said around a mouthful of blood.

"Klaus changed him"

Caroline's lips formed a grimace around the name. she nodded not wanting the uplifted atmosphere to dampen. When they were done Caroline washed the glasses quickly and made a note to get more blood. as the three supernatural were chatting a fast heartbeat came closer.

"who are you?"

Charlie in pajama pants, white t-shirt and hair all over the place was pointing a gun straight at Tyler. Tyler's eyes became wide as saucers, he didn't know Liz had a boyfriend.

"he's my boyfriend uncle Charlie"

Caroline put all the niceness she could as she approached them. Charlie's lips became a thin line

"boyfriend?"

Caroline and Tyler nodded fast as Bella howled under her breath silently cheering for the fact that Charlie never knew Edward would sneak into her room at nights. Caroline glared at her cousin concealing a smile at the dead-on howl

"what are you doing here boyfriend? In your boxers no less"

Charlie lowered his gun, smirking internally at the silence and panicked looks of both Caroline and Tyler. Finally Bella had enough

"he stayed here dad, obviously"

"I thought I heard... things... last night"

Bella snickered as Caroline blushed. Tyler looked more like a deer caught in the headlights instead of the big bad wolf he was supposed to be.

"Get dressed son. NOW"

Tyler scrambled out of the room.

"what's going on here?"

Liz asked coming inside the room after having seen Tyler sprint to Caroline's room dressed in polka dot boxers.

"Tyler slept over"

Caroline shuffled her feet, feeling like a little girl.

"so?"

Liz wondered what the whole mess was about

"what do u mean 'so'?"

"he is her boyfriend Charlie, breath, relax"

Liz said laughing at her brother's bewildered expression. Bella was cautiously silent. Caroline looked pardoned sitting next to her cousin.

"we got to set some rules around here..."

"What was that howling sound anyways?"

Charlie and Liz conceded at the same time making everyone else in the house laugh their butts off.


	13. All that jazz

Chapter 13: All that Jazz

A whole week passed and the month changed bringing with it rain and cold. On the Eve of All Hallows the school was adorned with fake bullet holes, posters with students portraits on with the word 'wanted' printed in big red letters. The high school gym was filled with students dancing under the sounds of jazz trumpets at this years 20's theme dance.

"historical accuracy gives room for harlots I see"

Rebekah commented with her British accent to herself seeing every girl in super short dresses that reminded more of bedroom clothing than flapper dresses. Bella who was sipping her non-alcoholic drink next to her, heard her and laughed.

"This is the Hugh Hephner edition, you know"

she commented to the original vampire that was watching Matt dancing with Caroline, with somewhat jealous eyes. The latter laughed. On the other side of the room Stephenie walked to her cousin who was engaged in a low voiced argument with his ex-girlfriend.

"Jer?"

when the English teacher had their attention, she handed them both a white envelope and made her rounds between the slightly inebriated students handing out the rest of the invitations.

"what's this?"

Jeremy asked examining the old parchment-like envelope. In it were a copy of a newspaper called 'Gangster Gazette', an invitation to a murder - dinner party and a character sheet along with a note with the words 'leave now' scripted on it.

Caroline shivered recognizing the private party her uncle had warned her about. Someone had tried to kill her mother twice the past week and the only reason Liz was alive was because Caroline had acted as her bodyguard and was quick to feed her vampiric blood to her mother.

Soon a parade of cars was pulling in front of the 'freaking museum' that the Lockwoods called 'home' and the teenagers invited were escorted to the large living room. Carol Lockwood played the hostess perfectly.

"Hello everyone and thank you for coming to our private party. As you've read in your envelopes this is a murder party and we all have assumed identities. Mine is Mabel Biggs and I'm the Mayor's wife"

she chuckled at marital status of her assumed role seeing as it was identical to her real life, relaxing everyone. As the last standing Founder descendant, Liz spoke next.

"My name is Rosie Marie and I am the Owner of Juicy Joint where we all are gathered"

"Notorious Nick, the Mob boss" Klaus said smirking at the irony

"Natalie, Nick's sister" Rebekah spoke next

"Mugsy Malone, nick's right handman" Stefan grimaced

"Cy, the bouncer and a gang member" Tyler said grinning

"Kitty, waitress and Cy's girlfriend" Bonnie made googly eyes at Tyler

"Sal, Southside mob boss" Damon grinned happily

"Flora, Nick's ex-wife" Lucy Bennett grinned at her cousin's shocked expression

"Molly, Nick's girlfriend" Bella blushed avoiding Klaus smiling face opting to glare at the too innocent smile on her father's face

"Hal, Movie director" Elliott Forbes grinned showing his dimples

"Diana, singer of the joint" Tracy Fell did a small curtsied

"Biggs, the mayor" Joseph Salvatore said in his thick Italian accent enjoying the less than stellar expression of the Salvatore brothers

"Chief Cameron, police chief" Jeffrey Lockwood pulled his rubber police gun and posed

"Cindy, cigarette girl" Elena said annoyed.

"Matt, bartender" matt rolled his eyes

"Bennie, I'm a bootlegger" Jeremy grinned raising his rubber beer bottle

"Flirty, a humble patron" Meredith Fell blanched at Tracy's catlike smile

"Anna Marie, Rosie's daughter" Caroline smiled

"P.I. Pinkerton, private investigator" Charlie said and pulled his dark sunglasses on, in a Horation Caine fashion.

With the introductions out of the way Liz handed everyone a nametag to attach to their clothes and read the introduction aloud and the guests mingled.

Stefan dove into his past with a resigned expression as he danced with Rebekah. however he couldn't help but shake with silent laughter upon finding out that 'Natalie' was spoiled rotten and annoyed by her brother's over-protective nature and kept a lot of secrets from him. Similarly she giggled with his '_Nick is my boss and I will do everything I can to protect him'_ attitude.

near them Klaus was dancing with Bella whose eyes were monitoring the room.

"why so alert?"

"I'm the girlfriend of a very much hated mobster; I really don't wanna find myself with a knife in my back"

she fake joked with a double meaning in her words

"I'll protect you"

Klaus replied swirling her around not seeing her rolling eyes.

At the bar matt was doing his job by serving drinks and much to Bonnie's annoyance she had to serve them. However Elena was far more annoyed as she was the butt of Damon's joke upon hearing that 'Cindy' was responsible for ruining many lives. Unfortunately for her all the supernatural creatures in the room heard his 'these roles are really well thought off' response making the young doppelganger contemplate hitting him.

suddenly the lights switched off and a loud bang was heard. When the lights turned back on 'notorious nick' laid on the floor obviously dead. 'P.I. Pinkerton' used yellow tape to mark the body's position on the floor

and 'chief Cameron' had 'Cy' & 'Gino' remove the body to another room, allowing Klaus to get up and walk away, while 'Rosie Marie' handed everyone instructions what to do after the murder.

Smelling fresh human blood in the air though Damon followed the scent to a bathroom where carol was sitting against the wall with a knife protruding hr body. he bit into his wrist and fed the older woman his blood watching as the wound slowly closed before she blinked rapidly and slowly stood up. Damon watched stunned as carol smiled and reached behind the sink to grab a small camera.

"Gotcha"

carol exclaimed before thanking Damon for saving her sorry butt and the two returned to the party after she fixed her dress.

"All done"

she whispered to Elliott and handed him the small bright red camera who in turn texted Stephenie to inform her to come over and then along with Joseph, Charlie, Liz and Jeff sat at a long sofa enjoying the view as the party guests were at each other's throats playing their part perfectly.

Even when they had no clue they were doing it.

Soon all the 'who dunnit' sheets were handed back to 'P.I. Pinkerton' and he revealed the killer in the form of 'Flora' who according to the directions had enough of her husband leaving her for a much younger woman.

What no-one saw was Bonnie and Lucy grabbing hands to magically secure the house by connecting to the spirits of the dead witches forcing the real killer of the Founders council to lose their power.

The killer had to charge alone at carol for the second time that night only without extra help this time. Their swift moves caused Charlie and Liz to draw their weapons and fire at the killer just as the killer pulled the trigger.

Elena screamed her mind pulling her to 'plan B' as she swept behind Liz and tried to choke her using her long pearl necklace.

"not my mother you bitch"

Caroline said loudly and backhanded forcibly her old friend throwing her backwards to Elliott's awaiting arms who was quick to inject the younger girl with a sedative and lay her senseless form to the couch.

Being free from the attention the killer limped to the front door but before he could leave Stephenie marched inside and with a taser knocked him unconscious

"so, what did I miss?"

she asked casually reminding everyone of her late father.

"is everyone alright?"

Charlie asked aloud securing the killers hands behind his back with a pair of handcuffs. A chorus of 'yeah' replied as most of the men held their women behind them and had hid letting the professionals deal with the crazed killer.

Liz rubbed her neck unable to speak just yet as Tyler pulled back the black hood of the unconscious killer gasping at the face he saw.


	14. Nothing ever ends Until it does

Chapter 14: Nothing ever ends until it… does!

the sun was signaling the new day as the three cruisers pulled away from the Lockwood mansion. Chaos was left behind them.

The kitchen had been converted to a makeshift hospital where Elliott was patching up Liz's throat where the thin chain of Elena's pearl necklace had broken the skin of Liz's delicate throat.

On the dining room table Carol was laid and Stefan kept compressing her chest while Damon was feeding her small gulps of his blood for the second time that night and Charlie used a pair of long tweezers to extract the bullet from her left lung.

In the living room Tyler paced angrily begging a God he had stopped believing since his first full moon to save his mother.

Bonnie and Lucy kept performing every single spell they knew to incapacitate the puppet master in the backyard asking Matt to use his knowledge of drinks to help them with the necessary potions.

Near them Rebekah and Klaus were cutting themselves to pour as much blood as the witches would need to end it all.

Tracy was writing down every single lie she could think off to explain the events of the night. How could she effectively explain the possible murder of Carol? How could she explain that three people had committed multiple murders and yet they could walk free if the local witches succeeded in freeing the puppets?

Jeremy ran to the garden holding an old book in his hands.

"Found it"

he panted and thrust the old leather book in Stephenie's hands. She fingered the page he pointed and smiled.

"What is it?"

Lucy asked taking a break from spell casting allowing the tied puppet master a moment of victory as Bonnie was too weak to keep the torture by herself. Jeremy pulled an orange crystal from his pocket attached to a long gold chain.

"Emily's talisman"

Lucy said pleased

"But I threw it in the flames"

Bonnie wondered out loud. At Lucy's smirk and Jeremy's accusing eyes she realized her cover was blown. She walked backwards and fell to another chair next to the now freaking out puppet master.

"I don't know why I said that"

"cut the crap Emily"

Lucy accused her ancestor and turned to face the woman next her.

"As for you..."

"I have an idea"

Bella interrupted her and pointed inside the house with a move of her head. Lucy puller a small bundle of sage and burned it before she followed Matt, Bella, Klaus and Rebekah inside the house where Joseph was hugging his ancestors close.

"They did it! They saved Carol"

he was astonished. matt took off to the dining room where carol was still unconscious but her very human heart beat loudly and Elliott was stitching her chest close. Liz's throat was bandaged and Charlie held a wooden box.

"your idea?"

Lucy asked Bella. the younger girl was grim.

"Feed her to the vampires"

her tone was absolute and it was a shock to everyone that knew her except Damon. she was as absolute as the night she told him he could punish Phil in any way he liked for trying to rape her the night he killed her little brother. the night Damon saved her and let the house burn to flames. The night he wiped her horrible memories simply because Renee was connected to the Salvatore family tree.

"I found these in Dad's journals. he mentions them in an entry of the last founder anniversary"

Stephenie was just as grim as she pointed to the items in Charlie's hands. the vampire compass and the Gilbert device.

"but these are for vampires and werewolves, not witches"

Caroline was confused but Liz nodded.

"if we recreate 1864 we'll be rid of her. however that is not my choice, or the council's. its yours"

she addressed Klaus and Rebekah. after all the puppet master was their mother.

"Do it"

Rebekah voted. She loved her mother, she really did but the woman had tried to kill her only a week ago.

"with one condition: burn down the white oak tree too"

Klaus agreed with his sister and set his own terms. the council members looked at each other and Charlie nodded.

"I'm sorry"

he apologized and set the device on as Lucy threw water on the burning sage. immediately a loud ringing, able to be heard only by vampires, werewolves, hybrids and dogs brought almost the entire town population on their knees. With a text deputies gathered the fallen bodies and transported them to the tomb underneath the old church.

Lucy used the Bennett medallion and set up the magical barriers trapping inside every hybrid Klaus made, every victim of his brothers, every rogue vampire in the city.

when they all woke up pissed and hungry Klaus tossed his mother inside ignoring her screams.

"Hey Tyler!"

"What?"

"I think its time for you to put yourself and your family's needs over mine"

Tyler's jaw went slack. Caroline's baby blue eyes wide as Klaus walked away

"You set him free, why?"

"Its the right thing to do... Are you going to go on a date with me now?"

"No!"

it was hit turn to remain jaw slacked as Bella walked away winking at a smirking tracy

The next morning the paper featured the breaking news.

"Killer has been caught. The brutal murderer responsible for many killings in the town of Mystic Falls has finally been caught and was shot to death last night. Read inside for more information"

Beneath it was a large picture of a man no one knew but everyone seemed to recognize thanks to Jeremy's drawing skills. He had sketched a face based on his friend's characteristics, Damon's eyes, Rebekah's eyebrows, Elena's smirk, Tyler's ears creating a person that everyone knew but never existed.

Esther Michelson had used her medallion to control Elena Gilbert to help kill her children.

Alaric's mental state since the time his body had played host to Klaus had been bad. No one realized he was the killer of the Founding Members.

Emily Bennett had sent thoughts to fellow witch Meredith Fell and herself took control of Bonnie's Bennett mind and body to stop Esther.

Their actions over the past year led the four humans in the mental hospital where they spent the rest of their lives in padded rooms

In a hidden room in the newly built town Elliott Forbes, Tracy Fell, Charlie Swan, Jeffrey Lockwood, Joseph Salvatore, Stephenie Gilbert, Elisabeth Forbes and Carol Lockwood signed with their blood the order of the new Founder's Council.

Their supernatural descendants took their rightful place as the town's protectors

_**"Although inspired by true incidents, the above story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event"**_

**THE END**


	15. AN

Hello everyone, this isn't a double update so so sorry, Vampires-suck1993 asked me to help promote his/her awards so read on

**Dear Readers,**

**I, L. West am hosting the BLOODLUST AWARDS to honour the wonderful authors that continue to entertain us with such wonderful and creative ideas.**

**Everything you need - links and rules can be found on my author profile and story posted. My author name is vampires-suck1993.**

**If you don't want to e-mail the nominations, you can leave a review or simply PM me. (vampires-suck1993).**

**Nomination should be in by the 8th of November as voting begins on the 14th November.**

**You can type bloodlust awards on google and go to the wordpress blog for moore information. If you have any enquiries the email is bitelilwest1993 (typo on profile).**

**Hope to hear from you and thank you for your time.**

**Vampires-suck1993**

I would appreciate if I saw my name on the nominees list but that is your choice. I already know the authors I'll be nominating ;)

Have fun my lovelies,

T1gerCat


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